It was the best of times, it was the ... Wait, wait, wait: It is the best of times for Aaron Lazar, whose tale of two cities spans the Jersey Turnpike from Cherry Hill, N.J., to New York, N.Y., with a cherished cherry on top -- Broadway -- where the acclaimed actor is starring as Charles Darnay in a swashbuckling...

When the artist R.B. Kitaj died at age 74 in October of last year, The New York Times ran a respectful, studied sort of obituary, under the headline "Painter of Moody Human Dramas." Kitaj (pronounced kit-EYE), who was Jewish and American-born but who spent the bulk of his career living and working in England, was always a controversial figure, beloved...

Philippe Grimbert's Memory , which comes billed as a novel, yet one undeniably based in fact, also comes laden with a number of plaudits and prizes, all of them listed prominently on the cover. We are told that the book was a bestseller in France, the winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, winner of Elle magazine's readers' prize and winner...

Stone fruits come into their own in the summer. Sure, we can get apricots, plums and peaches trucked or shipped in from California, Chile and overseas practically year-round. But there are no apricots, peaches, plums or nectarines that have the exquisite, honey-like flavors of locally grown produce in their prime season. Visit farmer's markets and stores that display local produce...

Like so many other American families in the 1980s, ours fell in love with Michael J. Fox the minute he took up the role of Alex P. Keaton on "Family Ties," one of those classic TV sitcoms that grew better with each season. If anyone was born to play a part, it was Fox; the role fit him like a...